Tag: Russian aggression

£1 Billion more support for Ukraine

The UK has announced an increased contribution to NATO as the Prime Minister and Defence Secretary attend the NATO summit in Madrid.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace MP said: “We have always been clear that our strength and security comes from our alliances, and NATO is at the heart of that.

“The New Force Model and our presence in Estonia will ensure that the Alliance is able to respond at pace, helping to determine stability across Europe in the decades to come.”

RAF Typhoon and F-35B Lightning fighter jets, Royal Navy vessels including Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers, and brigade-sized land forces will all be made available to NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) as part of the New Force Model.

NATO has introduced the New Force Model in support of Leaders’ decision to modernise and strengthen the NATO Force Structure for the future. Allies will declare capabilities, equipment and forces available to support SACEUR, ensuring they are in the right place at the right time. This will allow the Alliance’s military command to plan for emerging threats, safe in the knowledge that these assets will be available to take part in the Alliance’s response.

The UK will also contribute to the new Allied Reaction Force: an agile, multi-domain and combat-effective force ready to deploy at very high readiness and to respond to a range of crises.

It comes as the Alliance has agreed a new posture of stronger forward defences to reflect the radically changed security context since Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the UK increased its presence in Estonia to include the temporary deployment of a second battlegroup, doubling the total number of deployed personnel to over 1,600.

The lethality of these deployments will be enhanced with advanced capabilities including helicopters and artillery systems. Meanwhile, the UK’s existing HQ in Tallinn will be expanded. Led by a Brigadier, it will support the rapid deployment of high readiness forces at the brigade level.

The UK will also support Estonia with training and logistics, the development of its first divisional-level HQ, as well as developing new ways of fighting through their joint hosting of the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic European HQ, and supporting innovative dual use start-ups through the NATO Innovation Fund.

In addition to increasing its deployments to Estonia, since the Russian invasion the UK has also deployed hundreds of troops to Poland and sent more aircraft to conduct air policing in Romania. Meanwhile, HMS Prince of Wales has led the Alliance’s Maritime High Readiness Force since January 2022.

Funding of £65 million has been provided by the Scottish Government as part of UK’s military aid for Ukraine.

It will make up part of the £1 billion being provided for state of the art equipment including sophisticated air defence systems and thousands of pieces of vital kit for Ukrainian soldiers.

This follows £4 million in financial aid provided by the Scottish Government for humanitarian assistance for Ukraine, and a further £3 million worth of medical supplies.

Finance Secretary Kate Forbes said: “Scotland has been clear from the start that we condemn Russia’s unprovoked, illegal invasion of Ukraine. Scotland stands for democracy, human rights and the rule of law at home and abroad.

“We have become a place of refuge and sanctuary for displaced people from Ukraine, and have done all we can to get help those fleeing the country to escape the violence.

“This further funding is to assist Ukrainian armed forces to fight Russian aggression and the unspeakable brutality being perpetrated.

“We have agreed to providing funding on this occasion given the clear need to maximise the international effort to support Ukraine. However, we are clear that this must not be seen as any kind of precedent which leads to devolved budgets being used to help pay for clearly reserved policy areas.”  

Attorney General visits Ukraine to support war crimes investigation

The Attorney General led a delegation of war crimes experts in Poland yesterday as part of the UK’s support for Ukraine’s investigations into Russian atrocities

The Attorney General, Suella Braverman QC MP, visited Ukraine yesterday and met with Ukrainian Prosecutor General, Iryna Venediktova. She also led a delegation of war crimes experts in Poland as part of the UK’s support for Ukraine’s investigations into Russian atrocities.

The delegation included Sir Howard Morrison QC, who the Attorney appointed as an independent adviser to the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office in March. This follows the Foreign Secretary’s announcement (29 April) that the UK would deploy a team of war crimes experts to support Ukraine’s investigations.

As part of the visit, the Attorney met the Ukrainian Prosecutor General, Iryna Venediktova, to discuss what more the UK can do to support her work to bring war criminals to justice.

At the meeting, the Attorney heard first-hand about Ukrainian evidence-gathering processes, their plans to prosecute individuals for war crimes in their national courts, and their collaboration with the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Commenting on the visit, the Attorney General, Suella Braverman QC MP, said: “Russia has brought barbarity to Ukraine and committed vile atrocities, including against women.

“I am pleased to have led the UK delegation of war crimes experts to Ukraine and to have met those leading Ukraine’s journey to justice, including the indefatigable Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova.

“I am determined that British expertise will help Iryna and her team to uncover the truth and hold Putin’s regime to account for its actions. Justice will be done.

Commenting on the Attorney General’s visit, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova said: “While courts around the world are working to hold Russia accountable, the bulk of the investigation – and the largest number of prosecutions – will be done by Ukraine itself.

“I am grateful for the UK’s help and to Attorney General Braverman for visiting Ukraine to show her personal support for bringing every perpetrator to justice.

UK hits Russia with targeted sanctions

Oligarchs at the heart of Putin’s inner circle and banks which have bankrolled the Russian occupation of Crimea have been targeted by the first wave of UK sanctions in response to Russia’s further violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement to the House of Commons, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss yesterday designated the initial tranche of sanctions on Russia. The sanctions package targets oligarchs and banks associated with the Kremlin.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: “This first wave of sanctions will hit oligarchs and banks close to the Kremlin. It sends a clear message that the UK will use our economic heft to inflict pain on Russia and degrade their strategic interests.

“And we are prepared to go much further if Russia does not pull back from the brink. We will curtail the ability of the Russian state and Russian companies to raise funds in our markets, prohibit a range of high tech exports, and further isolate Russian banks from the global economy.

“These will be surgically targeted sanctions that will hit Russia hard.”

Using new powers introduced on 10 February, the UK has frozen the assets and imposed travel bans on 3 leading members of the Russian elite of particular significance to the Kremlin: Gennady Timchenko, Russia’s sixth richest oligarch, and Boris and Igor Rotenberg, 2 long-standing associates of the regime.

Assets of 5 Russian banks involved in bankrolling the Russian occupation have also been frozen with immediate effect. This includes Bank Rossiya, which is particularly close to the Kremlin, Black Sea Bank for Development and Reconstruction, IS Bank and Genbank. The assets of Promsvyazbank, the pivotal bank in propping up Russia’s defence sector, have also been frozen.

The UK will also sanction those members of the Russian Duma and Federation Council who voted to recognise the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk in flagrant violation of Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty.

In addition, over the coming weeks we will extend the territorial sanctions imposed on Crimea to non-government controlled territory in the so-called breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk. No UK individual or business will be able to deal with this territory until it is returned to Ukrainian control.

In the event of further aggressive acts by Russia against Ukraine, we have prepared an unprecedented package of further sanctions ready to go. These include a wide ranging set of measures targeting the Russian financial sector, and trade.

As part of this, should Russia not de-escalate the UK will shortly introduce legislation which will, amongst other steps, prevent Russia from issuing sovereign debt on UK markets. Working with partners we will effectively be isolating Russia from the global economy, and making it far more difficult for oligarchs and businesses to operate outside their own borders.

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First Minister: ‘Deep concern’ over actions of Russia in Ukraine

Statement from the First Minister

Commenting on the situation in Ukraine, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “I am deeply concerned by the actions of Russia and the disturbing reports of its invasion of Ukraine.

“The Scottish Government unreservedly condemns Russia’s actions, which are in flagrant violation of international law and which further destabilise an already volatile situation.

“The Scottish Government calls for an immediate cessation of such aggressive activities, with an assurance of the protection of all civilians within Ukraine.

“We offer our unqualified support for Ukrainian independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and to the people of Ukraine.

“We stand with members of the International Community in opposing Russian aggression, in demanding the most severe sanctions on Russia and in seeking to deter a further and wider invasion of Ukraine.”